Missing HCS services: vfpext

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Confirming the same root cause on Windows 11 Pro x64, build 26200.8894 (25H2).

Same symptom: Cowork reports "Missing HCS services: vfpext".

• hns and vmcompute: Running
• vfpext.sys: absent from System32\drivers (Test-Path -> False)
• WinSxS contains only 26100 builds of vfpext (26100.8737, 26100.8875);

no 26200 build is present.

• DISM /RestoreHealth (completed OK) + Hyper-V disable/enable cycle +

multiple restarts: driver still not deployed.

So this also affects 25H2 (26200), not just 24H2 (26100). Looks like the
26200 upgrade left the vfpext component in the same broken servicing state
described here.

What Should Happen?

Confirming the same root cause on Windows 11 Pro x64, build 26200.8894 (25H2).

Same symptom: Cowork reports "Missing HCS services: vfpext".

• hns and vmcompute: Running
• vfpext.sys: absent from System32\drivers (Test-Path -> False)
• WinSxS contains only 26100 builds of vfpext (26100.8737, 26100.8875);

no 26200 build is present.

• DISM /RestoreHealth (completed OK) + Hyper-V disable/enable cycle +

multiple restarts: driver still not deployed.

So this also affects 25H2 (26200), not just 24H2 (26100). Looks like the
26200 upgrade left the vfpext component in the same broken servicing state
described here.

Error Messages/Logs

Confirming the same root cause on Windows 11 Pro x64, build 26200.8894 (25H2).

Same symptom: Cowork reports "Missing HCS services: vfpext".
- hns and vmcompute: Running
- vfpext.sys: absent from System32\drivers (Test-Path -> False)
- WinSxS contains only 26100 builds of vfpext (26100.8737, 26100.8875);
  no 26200 build is present.
- DISM /RestoreHealth (completed OK) + Hyper-V disable/enable cycle +
  multiple restarts: driver still not deployed.

So this also affects 25H2 (26200), not just 24H2 (26100). Looks like the
26200 upgrade left the vfpext component in the same broken servicing state
described here.

Steps to Reproduce

Confirming the same root cause on Windows 11 Pro x64, build 26200.8894 (25H2).

Same symptom: Cowork reports "Missing HCS services: vfpext".

• hns and vmcompute: Running
• vfpext.sys: absent from System32\drivers (Test-Path -> False)
• WinSxS contains only 26100 builds of vfpext (26100.8737, 26100.8875);

no 26200 build is present.

• DISM /RestoreHealth (completed OK) + Hyper-V disable/enable cycle +

multiple restarts: driver still not deployed.

So this also affects 25H2 (26200), not just 24H2 (26100). Looks like the
26200 upgrade left the vfpext component in the same broken servicing state
described here.

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

ver 1.24012.9

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

Confirming the same root cause on Windows 11 Pro x64, build 26200.8894 (25H2).

Same symptom: Cowork reports "Missing HCS services: vfpext".

• hns and vmcompute: Running
• vfpext.sys: absent from System32\drivers (Test-Path -> False)
• WinSxS contains only 26100 builds of vfpext (26100.8737, 26100.8875);

no 26200 build is present.

• DISM /RestoreHealth (completed OK) + Hyper-V disable/enable cycle +

multiple restarts: driver still not deployed.

So this also affects 25H2 (26200), not just 24H2 (26100). Looks like the
26200 upgrade left the vfpext component in the same broken servicing state
described here.